Twenty Word Contest
by rowanrawr
Summary: *WINNER* Entry for CCIMH12's Twenty Word Contest. Words 1-20 and bonus word 21. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Dawn

**A/N: **My entry for CarlisleCullenIsMyHomeboy12's Twenty Word Contest. Rated T for possible future chapters.

**Number one: **Dawn.

**Pairing: **Gavner Purl/Liz Carr.

**Disclaimer: **I'm not Darren Shan.

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The sky was glowing a comforting orange colour when Liz stepped into the garden of her small house: the huge yellow morning sun was just starting to rise above the fields that spread far behind her garden and stretched on seemingly forever. She smiled at the feeling of familiarity and safety as the cool morning breeze swept her long, light brown hair up and twirled it around for a moment, before letting it fall gracefully on her shoulders again. The scene, the moment, was perfect and what really set it off was the burly vampire sat in the middle of the lawn.

"Gavner?"

The vampire turned at her voice and grinned, motioning for her to join him. Liz smiled and sat on the dewy grass, placing her hand in Gavner's, "What are you doing out here?" She asked quietly.

Gavner pointed at the rising sun, "Watching the sun rise."

Liz frowned, "But, you'll burn."

Gavner laughed and ruffled his lover's hair affectionately, "I can withstand dawn, Liz. It's the rest of the day that fries me."

They both laughed and settled against each other, waiting for the sun to rise and the sky to entertain them with many beautiful colours. Liz sighed and nuzzled closer to the vampire, "Why are you back?"

"I needed a break." Gavner answered, somewhat distractedly. When he caught Liz's questioning stare he elaborated, "General duties were getting a bit too much."

"But that's your job: to complete those duties. Surely you can't just leave."

"I got permission to take a break," Gavner grinned, "and you sound like Larten. It's scary." Liz pulled a face and the vampire laughed.

They lapsed into silence, watching the reds and oranges of dawn dance across the sky, "How is Larten?" Liz asked after a while – she had met the orange-haired vampire a couple of times before, and she liked him: he was polite and sometimes a welcome change from Gavner's immaturity.

Gavner hesitated before answering, "I haven't seen him for a while. He left the mountain a few months ago." His voice was sad with a hint of worry.

"Why did he leave?"

Shrugging, Gavner sighed, "I don't know. He didn't tell anyone he was going: just one night he wasn't there anymore. I mean, I can understand him not telling me – we don't tell each other _everything_ – but he didn't even mention anything to Seba. Or Arra." He shook his head sadly and sighed again. Liz gave him a questioning glance so he explained, "Seba is his mentor, and Arra is – was – his mate."

Liz nodded but a frown found its way onto her face after a minute, "If they're – they were – mates, then surely he would have told her where he was going. Actually, he wouldn't even have left at all, right?"

Gavner nodded thoughtfully, "You'd think. But apparently not." He paused before continuing, "They were made for each other too . . . . " He trailed off and pinned his eyes on the brightening sky, "I don't know why he left, I don't know if I'll ever see him again. But I'm going to try to find him."

"When?" Liz asked, squeezing his hand.

"Tonight." Gavner nodded determinedly and shut his eyes, signalling he didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Nodding in recognition Liz sighed, "We'll have to make the most of today then." She gave him a sly grin and he smiled down at her, giving her a passionate kiss before lifting her up into his arms and carrying her into the house.


	2. Brilliance

**Number two: **Brilliance.

**Pairing: **Evra Von/Merla Von.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

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Evra grinned as he burst from the trailer and threw his arms above his head excitedly, "It's a boy!"

The crowd of Cirque folk cheered and clapped loudly, all sporting wide smiles: some shouted out words of congratulations to the new father, others hugged each other happily. Evra stayed grinning for a few more moments then turned and ran back into the trailer, excitedly banging the door behind him. He could still hear the excited chatter outside and he grinned wider.

Truska came over and hugged him tightly, congratulating him in her strange language. Evra laughed and freed himself from her embrace, walking slowly over to his wife and their new-born son. Mr. Tall patted the snake-man on his back and then both he and Truska left the new parents alone. Evra watched them leave and, as soon as the door had clicked shut, he let out a breath of relief.

From beside him, his son gurgled and waved his hands slightly: Evra's grin softened into a fond smile and he gently kissed his wife on her forehead. Merla smiled wearily and tickled their son gently on his round belly. The baby gurgled again, this time with a hint of happiness but soon fell into a sound sleep, with his parents watching every small breath he took.

Merla looked up at her husband and smiled, "He's just like you." She whispered and Evra smiled, stroking her damp hair back: true, the baby was like his father. They both had scales for skin, both had green-yellow hair and the same snake nose, eyes and tongue.

"Do you mind?" Evra asked softly, tracing his finger over his son's tiny green hand.

Merla laughed quietly, "Of course I don't!" She leaned against Evra and sighed, carefully readjusting her hold on her son, "The next one can have human skin to make up for it." Evra laughed and kissed the top of her head. He stayed perfectly still and soon Merla had joined their son in the land of sleep. His mind wandered but he kept returning to the same thought: their son was pure brilliance. He was a small wonder, a tiny little snake-skinned wonder and Evra loved him unconditionally.

He wished Darren was here to see this: he missed the little half-vampire and he often wondered what he was getting up to. Darren had been his best friend and, for that reason, Evra had decided that their little baby would be called Shancus (if the child was a boy) and, what luck, Merla had given birth a healthy snake-boy: and that snake-boy would be christened Shancus, and Darren would be made his Godfather – even if the half-vampire didn't know about it.

Evra grinned to himself and watched his wife and son sleep.

The snake-man was perfectly content, perfectly happy, because now his already perfect life had just gotten that little bit more perfect.


	3. Light

**Number three: **Light.

**Pairing: **Larten Crepsley/Arra Sails. (Larten's POV)

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

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This couldn't be happening: first Gavner, now Arra. I didn't understand why this was happening; I just knew there was nothing I could do to prevent it.

Medics came and went again until they finally gave up, going to work on more hopeful causes. I cursed them for it but deep down I knew that they were doing the right thing: Arra wasn't going to live; I knew that, it just pained me to admit it.

"Do you think . . . . it'll be light?" I looked up; Arra's gaze was on the ceiling, not me. I knew she was trying to hold all emotion back; trying to act like this wasn't a big deal; that everything was okay, and she was only acting this way for me; to keep me from breaking down like I so badly wanted to.

I sighed, "Will what be light?" My voice was strained with the effort of trying to stay strong.

Her gaze flickered to me for a split second before returning to the ceiling, "Death. Or whatever . . . . comes after life."

"You are not going to die." I didn't know why I was still denying it. I clenched my jaw and tightened my grip on her hand, locking our fingers together securely. Arra ignored my contradiction, shaking her head ever-so slightly, "I think it . . . . will be. I hope it is."

I didn't reply, I _couldn't_ reply: hearing her talk about her own death so calmly frightened me. I pinned my eyes on ours hands, refusing to look up; refusing to acknowledge the horrible truth. I heard Arra sigh – slight annoyance tainting it – but she didn't say any more. We fell into a painful silence, both of us too stubborn to do anything about the situation. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, and after quite a while I opened them again: the room was still dim, I was still desperately clutching Arra's hand and she was still dying.

Taking another deep, shaking breath I tore my gaze from our hands and looked up, "Arra."

"Larten." She had her eyes closed, and her voice was weak, but my favourite crooked smile was there and somehow that seemed to make things a little easier. I smiled and laughed softly, shaking my head, "How do you feel?"

"Okay." I knew straight away that that was a lie: she wasn't okay at all; she was fidgeting, a sign that she was uncomfortable. I sighed, "Arra."

She didn't answer straight away – she seemed not to hear me – and only when I shook her shoulder gently did she reply, "How do . . . . you feel?"

"Terrible," she opened her eyes and I held her gaze, "I do not want you to die."

She smiled, "I'm not . . . . so crazy . . . . about that . . . . myself . . . . "

"You cannot leave me, not now." I sounded childish, but I couldn't help it.

"I don't . . . . really have . . . . a choice . . . . "

"_Please_," I almost shouted, finally loosing my composure, "you can't! You can't go, I won't let you." Tears were falling down my face and I bowed my head, my shoulders shaking. I had finally broken down.

Arra let go of my hand and pushed herself up, even though it must have caused her a lot of pain. She leant against me and I wrapped my arm around her tightly: I was still crying and tried to hide that by burying my head against her shoulder. She sighed and weakly rubbed my arm, trying to comfort me.

"Larten?" I didn't look up or answer, but she continued anyway, "I'm sorry . . . . but you'll . . . . be okay . . . . I promise . . . . " Her voice trailed off and I lifted my head away from her shoulder, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

We met each others gaze – I tried for a small smile but Arra managed a more convincing one – and said at exactly the same time, "I love you." I laughed sadly, and Arra half grinned.

And then her light went out. Leaving me alone in the dark.


	4. Games

**Number four: **Games.

**Pairing: **Larten Crepsley/Arra Sails.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

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Vanez, Kurda and Gavner were sat in the bustling Hall of Khledon Lurt, bored out of their minds, absently watching other vampires shout and laugh: it was the final day of the Festival of the Undead but the party was still very much alive (and still would be for the next twenty-four hours, if the vampires got their way). But all the three vampires in the corner wanted to do was return to normal: Vanez wanted to be in charge of the Games again, Kurda wanted to get back to his map-making, and Gavner wanted his two closest friends back; Larten and Arra had hardly been seen these past three nights and days, and when they had appeared for the ball on the second night they had been completely inseparable, stayed to the edges of the Hall and had left very early on.

Gavner wasn't especially pleased with this but he understood why they were behaving this way: they both had rather demanding jobs and hardly saw much of each other, so the Festival for them was time to catch up and spend time together. Gavner just wished that they'd appear and include him in everything again.

"Hey, let's play a game." Kurda suggested, clapping his hands together decidedly.

"What sort of game?" Vanez asked, turning his back on the crowded Hall.

"Umm," Kurda thought for a moment, "Hide 'N Seek?"

"No way!" Gavner exclaimed, stubbornly shaking his head, "It'd take hours for you to find us in this place!"

Kurda grinned, "Okay, how about . . . . I Spy?" Gavner huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Scrabble?"

"Vanez can't read or spell." Gavner pointed out and Vanez grinned, crossing his eyes and pulling a face.

The blonde General snorted, "Fine. Poker?"

"Strip Poker is more fun." Vanez stated, nodding his head slowly.

Gavner stared somewhat worriedly at the Gamesmaster and then turned to Kurda, "I Spy it is."

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"Okay!" Kurda shouted excitedly, and started the rhyme in a very child-like voice, "I Spy, with my two blue eyes" – Vanez and Gavner exchanged glances at these words, grinning to each other – "something beginning with . . . . 'V'."

"Vampires!" Vanez shouted, banging his fist against the table.

Kurda nodded and the Gamesmaster whooped loudly, "Kurda," Gavner started, "that one was terrible: let me do it." Kurda stuck his tongue out at Gavner but let him continue the game, "I Spy something beginning with 'R'."

"Rock!" Vanez almost screamed, pointing to the rock wall he was leaning against.

"Well done." Gavner appraised him sarcastically, rolling his eyes, "I Spy something beginning with . . . . 'T'."

"Table!" Another crazily excited scream from Vanez, "Let me do it, let me do it!"

"Fine, go ahead." Gavner sighed, leaning back against his chair.

"I Spy, with my one good eye, something beginning with . . . ." Vanez looked around the Hall, his eye scanning for something that Gavner and Kurda would never be able to get. He dismissed vampires, tables, chairs, rock, laughter, shouting, fighting, story-telling, but then saw something that made him grin. He cleared his throat, "Something beginning with 'L'."

Kurda and Gavner looked around the Hall, confused, "Lorcan?" Kurda guessed, pointing to a nearby vampire called Lorcan, but Vanez shook his head.

"Light?" Gavner pointed to the flame candles but again Vanez shook his head.

After a few more terrible 'L' guesses, Gavner and Kurda gave up, convinced that Vanez was making this 'L' thing up, "I swear I'm not." The Gamesmaster defended, a grin still plastered across his face.

"Well then," Kurda pouted, "where is it?"

Vanez laughed and pointed to the other side of the Hall: Kurda and Gavner had completely overlooked their friends – the young vampire couple – who were standing against the wall near the entrance of the Hall. Arra was staring dismally at the dusty floor, while Larten was muttering something, his lips barely moving, obviously to keep their conversation private, only for their ears.

"What's the word?" Gavner asked Vanez, not taking his eyes off of his friends: Larten placed his hand under Arra's chin, to make her look up at him, and then pulled her close, his lips still moving, still muttering to his mate.

Vanez smiled as Arra pulled away from Larten and kissed him gently: whatever they had been talking about seemed to be sorted out for now and as the two walked hand-in-hand over to the three vampires in the corner, Vanez simply revealed the word, "Love."


	5. Innocence

**Number five: **Innocence.

**Pairing: **None.

**Quick note: **This word was hard! It took me ages to actually come up with something worth-while, and even now, I don't think I've managed to accomplish that. Ah well! I hope you like it all the same!

Also, thank you to Amela333 for the song suggestion: there would be no chapter had you not introduced me to that song! : )

One more thing. For some reason, I can't seem to add lines to separate this note at the top and the story. So, the story begins after the song lyrics, which are in italic. Just thought I'd let you know why this chapter isn't presented as the others are.

**Song: **The End of the Innocence - Don Henley.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

_'But I know a place where we can go, that's still untouched by men. We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by, and the tall grass wave in the wind . . . . '_

Mentor and assistant sat side by side on the rocky cliff face, looking down silently at the grassy valley below. The moonlight shone through the clouds, casting an occasional white glow on the grass and trees, on the mountain-side and the two vampires.

A year had gone by since Kurda's betrayal, since the consequent deaths, and since Darren Shan had been made a Prince. A year full of new jobs for the young half-vampire and his tired mentor, a year full of hectic meetings and orders, a year of no breaks; no time to mourn, no time to think at length about what had transpired during that fateful council.

But now, much overdue, a break had been given to mentor and assistant, and all they could think to do was sit and dwell on the past.

Larten Crepsley looked down at his young assistant and sighed sadly: the poor child's innocence had been shattered a year ago, and he would never be the same again.

The young boy had before been a care-free, trusting child: and Kurda Smahlt had managed to turn him into a closed, alert young man. A young man who acted and thought as someone much older then he actually was.

Though Larten mourned grievously for the death of his best friend and the death of his mate, he also mourned for his assistant's lost innocence. And he blamed himself.

If he had never blooded him, then Darren's innocence would still be there: he would still be the care-free, trusting person he once was.

Larten opened his mouth to apologise for everything that he had put the young half-vampire through, when Darren let out a long breath and leaned against his mentor's shoulder. Larten looked down at the boy curiously and sadly, "Darren?"

"I miss them," the young boy muttered and sniffed, wiping at his eyes.

The vampire sighed and put an arm around his assistant's shoulders, "I know. I do too." He looked to the sky, and, for the briefest of seconds, the clouds parted revealing the stars and the full moon.

And for those briefest of seconds, Larten fixed his eyes on the stars and imagined life where his friends were alive and Darren was still the innocent child he once was.

And he smiled.


	6. Darkness

**Number six: **Darkness.

**Pairing: **None.

**A/N: **I just read over the previous chapters of this story and my Lord, they're really quite terrible: I apologise. I'll try to make them better, promise!

Also, it's still not letting me add the little dividing line that separates notes form the story, so if anyone has any ideas on how to fix it, then _please_ PM me.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

The earth shook violently, huts and trees falling to the ground with loud crashes, the villagers running around wildly, desperately trying to get away from the danger of the earthquake.

Inside one of the collapsed huts, a young boy of no more than twelve struggled to free his leg from the roof that had fallen onto him. He could feel bones breaking and blood pouring from the gashes that covered his body, he could see his dead sister and mother – only feet away from where he lay trapped – their bodies mangled from the debris, their screams still echoing around his head. He was scared, he was in pain, he was desperate.

He turned his body at an awkward angle to better free his leg, turning away from the doorway, which was still partially open; his only escape route.

While trying to push the thick logs that had once sheltered him and his family from the weather off of his leg, a man entered the half-standing hut unnoticed. The man glanced dismissively around the remains of the hut, his gaze lingering on the dead bodies – a smile flew to his lips when he saw their faces frozen in pain and fear – then came to rest on the young boy.

His smile grew wider.

The man walked silently over to the boy, stood over him for a minute, watching with amusement as he clawed frantically at his leg, and then cleared his throat.

The young boy whipped around, startled, and the man laughed good naturedly at his expression, "You seem to be in a bit of trouble there." The man pointed to the logs, his voice perfectly mimicking the language of the villagers. The boy nodded, begging the strange man for help, holding out his hands desperately.

The man laughed again, but didn't reach out to the boy: instead, the man went over to the logs and perched himself on top of them. The boy stared at him, still begging, still reaching out, but the man just ignored him. Reaching into his jacket pocket, the man pulled out a heart-shaped watch – a watch, the boy noted with horror, which beat just as a human heart did – and sighed, "Time is almost up, boy."

"NO!" The boy screamed, forgetting his sudden fear for the man, forgetting the pain, forgetting everything, now just desperate to live; to be saved.

"Afraid so," The man tutted, "See?" He hopped off of the logs and walked slowly to the boy, holding out the watch. The boy's expression turned to one of absolute fear when he saw what the watch face showed: a normal clock face was visible, but in front of that a scene was playing out.

In that scene, the boy saw himself lying on the ground, crying and screaming as the man walked out of the hut, laughing as he did, swinging the watch around in large circles on its chain. And then the tremors of the quake became more violent, and the last of the hut fell with a loud bang, fell straight onto the boy, killing him instantly.

The boy glanced fearfully up at the man, "Who, who are you?"

The watch face changed, now glowing a blood red. The man looked down at the boy, his features made all the more fearful from the glow emitting from the watch. He grinned, revealing a set of jagged teeth, his face changing from one of an evil human to one of a demonic monster; the boy shrank away from him, "I'm Destiny."

The man laughed as the boy stared at him disbelievingly, and then, as the ground began to shake more fiercely than before, the man turned and walked out of the hut, just as he had in the scene the watch revealed.

The boy realised this and, with utter panic, began to cry and scream out, pleading for the man to come back, to save him. But the man ignored him. He stepped over the debris in the doorway, laughing all the while, swinging his pocket-watch. The ground shook once again and finally the last of the hut fell, crushing the boy and ceasing his cries.

The last thing the boy saw was the evil grin of Destiny as he disappeared into the darkness.


	7. Lonely

**Number seven:** Lonely.

**Pairing: **None.

**A/N: **The line divider is still not bloody working, so I believe we're all going to have to live with the messiness of my future chapters. I do apologise.

Ermm, this chapter is different: it's written as a letter. I don't know why, but I've always imagined Arra having a difficult human life, so – just to set the scene – this is when everything has become too much for her to handle and, well, it's a suicide note. Happy happy, huh? (On Microsoft Word, I wrote it using a font that looked like hand writing, so it was a lot more powerful.) Sorry if it's depressing: I don't mean to be, this is just the kind of thing I can write well though.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

_Dear Father,_

_I'm not entirely sure why I'm writing this – it's not as if you'll care – but I feel it wouldn't be proper if I left without telling you my reasons for doing it. Just so you know, I jumped off the bridge – or I will jump, as soon as I have finished writing this. I suspect the water will be freezing, so maybe there won't be any pain, maybe the cold will numb everything. I hope it isn't too painful – why should I suffer? – but I know that drowning is never a painless affair. The cold water burns the lungs, fills them until you're choking and by then it's too late. I do believe you slip into unconsciousness after a while. _

_If you must know, the thought of drowning is terrifying, but...well, it's better than the thought of living another day._

_My reasons behind this?_

_Simply I could no longer cope with life. It had become too much for me to handle. I want to get away from it all: and yes, I could have just run away, but that would have been too easy. The memories and emotions would have still haunted me. I would have never had a normal life, never a happy life. No matter where I went or what I did. _

_And that, Father, is because of you. _

_My one main reason for suicide is you. You have made my life hell: worse than hell. Everyday is unbearable, knowing what you've done, fearing what you will do, hating you every minute of every day. _

_I know damn well that you killed Mother: beat her to death. Yes, I was only seven, but she used to confide in me, tell me what you put her through. She told me that you were a vicious man, an evil man, but I couldn't see it: not when in public you'd act like a saint. _

_It was only after her death, when I sat there holding her cold, bruised hand, that I knew she had been telling the truth: and I hated myself for doubting her. And I saw you wash the blood off of your hands, Father. I saw, and that's when the hate and fear set in. _

_But what could I do? You had 'friends' all over town, and if I tried to run, they would follow, snatch me, take me back home where you'd be waiting. Punishment for me, pleasure for you. The things you did...no seven year old should have gone through, yet I did. And why? Because you were constantly drunk: constantly out of your mind. _

_And yes, sometimes when you lay on the floor, blacked out from the nights drinking, I stood over you with a knife, and I swore I would kill you. But the thought made me sick: if I did kill you, then I would become just as bad as you. _

_See, even though you ruined my life, I couldn't kill you. I know for sure that that makes me a better person than you'll ever be, and ever were. Though you were never good. I know that now. You were born evil, sick, and you had to bring that into my Mother's life: into mine. _

_The hurtful thing is that I used to love you: when I was young and naive, yes, but I did. Because you were my father and fathers are supposed to be good people. My friends had good fathers, so I believed it was my right to have one too. _

_I'm so unlucky. _

_...I still have those bruises, those cuts and scars and they'll never leave: I'll die with them. Isn't that funny?_

_I still have those memories, horrible memories, and no doubt I'll be thinking of them when I do step off the edge and fall into the water. _

_They haunt me every single day. They haunt me every single night: I know you've never heard me wake screaming from a nightmare, because you're always either out with some whore or drunk. They pain me, hurt me, scare me. And I don't have anyone to turn to because you've scared them all away. _

_I'm eighteen, and since my Mother's death, since you revealed your true colours, I've never had friends (you made me push them away), I've never loved (because you've made me scared to), I realise now I've never even LIVED. All my life I've been lonely: an empty shell almost, and you never cared. Never..._

_It's getting light out now: the sun is just starting to rise above the factory rooftops, so I suppose I should wrap this up._

_Just, the worst feeling is that there is no one to talk me out of this. There is no one I can tell, and no one who will tell me I'm being stupid, tell me that life will get better, I just have to stick with it. I've never had that one person everyone in their life is supposed to have, and now I'll never meet them. _

_It's cruel, I know, but I want you to know that this is ALL YOUR FAULT. You killed your wife – my Mother – by your own hand and, consequently, years later you've killed me. _

_I hope it hurts._

_A. x_


	8. Free

**Number eight: **Free.

**Pairings: **Arrow/Elizabeth, Arra/Larten, Gavner/Liz.

**A/N: **Thanks to Amela333 for letting me use Elizabeth :D

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

THE EVENING SKY WAS melting with warm colours, soft clouds floating across the setting sun.

Elizabeth stood in the garden, a frown plastered to her face: Arrow was leaving again on a mission tonight, and she desperately didn't want him to go. She didn't want to be left alone.

Four birds skirted across the sky, their black outlines very dramatic and prominent against the soft backdrop of the summer evening sky. Her eyes followed their movements, and she found herself envying them their freedom. Why couldn't she be free like the birds? Why couldn't Arrow?

"Elizabeth?" She turned slightly at the sound of Arrow's deep but caring voice and the frown slid from her face, "I'm leaving now."

"When will you be back?" Elizabeth asked, walking across the grass until she was safely enclosed in her husband's arms.

"No longer than two months." She nodded against his chest, feeling the usual tears well up in her eyes again.

"Promise me you'll be careful." Her voice was quiet.

Arrow sighed, but nodded, "I promise."

The four birds landed on a nearby tree as the couple shared one last passionate kiss, and then as Arrow hoped over the small picket fence shielding their garden from the outside world, leaving his wife once again to wonder and worry whether she'll ever see him again, the birds took flight, following the vampire out into the world.

Elizabeth watched both vampire and birds until they all disappeared from her view.

And she was left alone again.

...

"I miss being free." Larten sighed, shifted his gaze from the sky and moved to lie on his side. He looked across the small pile of wood that was smoking softly and his eyes settled on his mate. The night was cloudy, the moon completely gone from the sky, and even with his vampiric sight he found it hard to see her properly: only when an occasional ember sparked into life and reflected against her bright grey eyes did he know she was there.

"Am I supposed to know what you're talking about?" Arra cast her gaze briefly from the pile of wood to his general direction, and then back again, trying to get the wood to light.

"I miss being free," Larten repeated, his green eyes scanning the darkness, "I hate living with such strict rules." He paused to see if she would answer, "Do you understand?" He asked when the only reply he got was the crackling of wood.

"Yes, but those rules are there for a reason," an ember flickered into life for a moment, and he managed to catch sight of her eyes pinned directly on his own, "Without them, we wouldn't know what was right or wrong. What was allowed and what wasn't."

Larten sat up, "But that is exactly my point!" Another ember flickered and he saw her look away, "If we were free then everything would be right, everything would be allowed. Would you not like to live like that?"

"No," Arra sighed and poked at the wood again, "Because that would mean that murder would be right, and killing freely, and war." Larten hesitated, his thoughts coming to a halt: he hadn't considered that.

Silence enveloped them, and they only spoke again when the wood finally caught fire and light was cast over the area. Larten blinked, his eyes adjusting to the sudden light, and the first thing he saw were four birds sitting on a tree branch, their beady eyes watching the scene below them carefully.

"Birds are free." Larten muttered.

"We aren't birds, Larten." Arra snapped, throwing a stick at the birds: they cawed and took to the black sky with a lot of flapping, "We're vampires..."

...

"But wouldn't you like to be free from the responsibilities and duties of a General for just a day?" Liz asked, her voice strained.

Gavner shrugged his broad shoulders, "I don't know. I guess not: I like being a General." He smiled over at his human counter-part and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't get you." Gavner laughed and tickled Liz's side gently, "You're very confusing."

"Vampires are supposed to be," The vampire General answered, "It's part of our charm."

Liz snorted and Gavner tickled her again until she finally succumbed and told him that his vampire charm was irresistible, "Thank you." Gavner laughed again, shaking the bed.

"Aren't you supposed to hiding from the sun right about now?" Liz asked, gazing out of the window: birds had just started their dawn chorus and the sky was beginning to get light. The trees in the garden were covered with leaves, but within them Liz could just make out the figures of four small birds, none of which were singing.

Gavner snuggled against her neck, "If you shut the curtains I'll be safe and sound." Playfully, he pushed her out of bad and she only just managed to stumble to her feet before she hit the floor. She gave him a look – he grinned apologetically – but pulled the curtains shut, giving the hidden birds one final glance before climbing back into bed and curling up against the vampire.

"I love you, you great clumsy vampire." Liz smiled against his chest, her fingers gently grazing a scar on his stomach.

"And I love you, you magnificent human." Gavner kissed her hair and they both erupted into a fit of laughter.

...

**A/N: **See how the birds brought out the reccuring theme of 'Free'. It's random, I know, but random is good!


	9. Confused

**Number nine: **Confused.

**Pairing: **None. Well, okay, Arra/Larten _sort of_, but not really. You'll see what I mean :D

**A/N: **Do I include A/L _way_ too much? I mean, they're in like every chapter, heh. I hope it doesn't get repetitive!

Set at the endish of book six. Vanez POV.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

I AWOKE SLOWLY, WITH a splitting headache. _What happened?_ I must have drunk way too much at the Festival of the Undead.

Everything was black, pitch black. I tried to open my eye and found that I couldn't: or I could, there was just a piece of cloth attached over one side of my face. I reached a hand up to feel, but someone tutted and I froze, turning my head towards the noise. I sensed it was Seba a second before he spoke, "I was told by the medics that you are not supposed to touch it."

"Oh." My voice croaked, and I coughed, "What happened?"

"You do not remember?" Seba sounded surprised.

I shook my head against the stone slab I was laying on, "No...should I?"

I heard him sigh, "The medics mentioned that you might suffer from some memory loss. I did not take them seriously..." He trailed off and when he continued his voice was weary, "A dagger caught you in the eye."

I winced, "How did that happen?" I vaguely remembered blood, and lots of shouting, but it was all blurred together. I moved to sit up, and Seba put an arm around my shoulders to help me up. I smiled in his general direction as a thank you and ran a hand over the top of my head, "Was it a fight in the Festival?"

"Vanez, the Festival was over three weeks ago." I turned my head towards him, my mouth falling slack. _Three weeks ago?_ Had I been unconscious for that long? I swallowed, feeling that that wasn't the case, "I...I remember blood and shouting."

"Yes," Seba replied sadly, "There was a lot of blood." He paused, "Vanez, do you remember Darren going missing?"

As soon as he said it, I remembered clearly, "Yes, he came back though, told us about the vampaneze and Kurda and Gavner..." I trailed off and shivered: to add to the blurs of blood and shouting, vampaneze now entered my mind.

"Do you remember going with him to find the vampaneze?"

I nodded silently: in the back of my mind I knew where this was headed, but I couldn't drag it forward enough for it to all fit together.

"You told the Princes and they made a plan of attack, with Darren's help."

"With the spiders..." I added quietly, a horrible feeling of foreboding overwhelming me.

"Yes, and then we attacked." Seba's voice cut off suddenly, sharply, as if he didn't want to talk about what happened next.

"We managed to kill them all though, right? They haven't taken over the mountain, have they?" I asked fearfully.

"No, no. We defeated them." Seba didn't sound anywhere near happy though, "There were many injuries and deaths."

"Oh?" I really didn't like where this was going.

"Yes. I injured my leg, many vampires left with deep wounds and broken bones. Darren got away with just a few bruises and cuts, but that is still too much, considering all he has been through-"

I cut him off, my thoughts suddenly going to my assistant, "What about Arra?" This was starting to sound like a situation where she would have no doubt gotten herself into trouble. _That girl attracts danger._

Seba was silent a moment before saying very quietly, "Vanez, I am so sorry, but she has died."

I turned towards him again, sensed he was telling the truth and leant back against the wall, letting out a pained sigh. "She did not die alone: Larten was with her the entire time." I nodded, that small fact making me feel a tiny bit better. _She had always been scared that she would die alone._

"I bet he's real cut up." I said a little bitterly.

"Well, yes of course he is." Seba answered. I sensed him going to continue, but I cut him off again, "When can this patch come off my face?" That wasn't the most important thing on my mind right now, but I didn't want to talk about Arra's death.

"Soon, Vanez, soon."

"Good. I want to see her before her funeral."

Seba coughed uncomfortably, "Vanez, you will not exactly be able to _see_ her."

I turned to him again, "What do you mean?" I asked cautiously.

"You are completely blind."

_Shit._

_..._

**A/N: **That wasn't really 'Confused' was it...


	10. Happiness

**Number ten: **Happiness.

**Pairing: **Arra Sails/Larten Crepsley.

**A/N: **I loved this scene in the book, so I thought I'd re-write it slightly: It's where Darren and Streak are eavesdropping on Kurda, Larten and Arra. I'm going to change it so it has more A/L in it :P It's written in Darren's POV. (And yes, some of the text is from the book.)

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

I wanted nothing more than to run out and greet my mentor, but a low growl from Streak stopped me. I glanced at the wolf – he was low on the ground, his hackles raised, eyes pinned on something behind Mr. Crepsley. I followed his gaze curiously, and immediately realised why he was acting so strange: walking just behind Mr. Crepsley were five other vampires.

I held my breath and studied them carefully. I recognised two of them – Arra and the murderer himself, Kurda – but the other three were unfamiliar. Like Kurda, they were edgy, glancing around nervously, and they carried very sharp and dangerous looking swords. From this, I assumed that they were his assistants – true vampires wouldn't possibly agree with Kurda's actions.

I watched them carefully, trying to think of a way for me to get their attention. I would have simply run out and shouted at them, but the problem with that were the sword-carrying vampires: I was positive if they found me, then they wouldn't hesitate to kill not only me, but Mr. Crepsley and Arra too. So I kept to the ground, seething with hatred for Kurda.

They moved past us, and I tapped Streak on the shoulder, "Follow them?" The wolf put his nose to the air, sniffed, and then took off through the bushes. I followed him, trusting his more acute senses, and soon we had fallen in behind the vampires. They continued walking, completely unaware of our presence. I committed the features of Kurda's assistants to memory so that if I did ever make it back to the mountain, I could reveal them for the traitors they were.

I noted with a smile that Kurda was the edgiest of the lot: he kept glancing fearfully around, and jumped at every sound that the forest made. I also realised that Arra had noticed this too, because she kept kicking the leaves and twigs of the path that they were walking on and smirking every time Kurda jumped. My smile grew wider.

"Will you _stop_ doing that!" Kurda whined after a while, spinning around and glaring at Arra.

She laughed slightly, "It's not my fault I keep catching the ground."

"You're doing it on purpose." Kurda hissed, and even I sensed the strained tone in his voice, as if he would snap at any moment. Me and Streak stopped, as did the group of vampires, "You've been doing it since we entered the forest."

Arra grinned slyly, "That's because as soon as we did, you suddenly became very edgy." Kurda's glare flickered, "Hiding something?" Arra asked innocently.

"No!" Kurda almost shouted, "I'm just worried about Darren." His tone became hushed, "I really want to find him." He sounded truly worried and concerned, and this only made me angrier: he was a complete hypocrite.

"We all do, Kurda." Mr. Crepsley said a little defensively, coming to stand next to Arra, "We are all worried."

Kurda sighed, "I'm sorry, everything has just gotten so crazy lately. I want some answers."

I almost shouted out but managed to restrain myself. How could he possibly act like that? He _has_ all the answers: he killed Gavner, he brought the vampaneze to the mountain, and he will kill the Princes. _Not if I stop him..._

Kurda's assistants came to stand behind him, their swords raised as if they expected a fight. Kurda sighed again, "I'm just upset about Gavner. I mean, why would anyone kill him? He was such a good person..." He trailed off, as if deeply depressed. This was killing me: I _hated_ that I had to hide in the shadows while he spun his lies. The mention of Gavner seemed to have thrown Mr. Crepsley and Arra: I knew that the three of them had been very close friends. Gavner had often told me stories about their first council and the journeys they had gone on together.

"We're all upset about that, Kurda." Arra snapped, "And you aren't the only one who wants answers. We a_ll_ do, so stop making this just about you." Kurda bristled, and his assistants took half a step forward. Seeing this, Mr. Crepsley also took half a step forward, moving so he was standing slightly in front of Arra, "Kurda, please, let us all calm down. Talk with your assistants. I need to speak with Arra."

Kurda nodded in agreement and turned to the three vampires behind him, ushering them away to the other side of the copse that they had stopped in. They crowded around once they had stopped, muttering and making quite violent hand gestures. I was going to go and listen to their conversation, but I realised that Mr. Crepsley and Arra had come to stand right near me: if I moved, they'd notice me. I crouched down behind a fallen log, peering out over the top of it so I could keep an eye on Kurda and his assistants. Streak sat down beside me, his big golden eyes flashing from one side of the copse to the other.

"Will you please stop aggravating him?" Mr. Crepsley asked, and my eyes flicked back to the pair: they were standing close together under a tree, sheltering from the never ending snow. Arra looked away stubbornly, and Mr. Crepsley sighed, laying his hands on her shoulders, "Look, any other time and I would let you annoy him." He said this with a small smile, "But I do not trust his assistants. You saw how they behaved just then...I do not know what is going on with them, but please try to keep them in a good mood."

"They know something." Arra muttered, casting a suspicious glare over to the other side of the copse, "Why else would they bring weapons?"

Mr. Crepsley nodded slowly, "I know. But they could just be anxious about Kurda's investure tomorrow."

"That doesn't give them a reason to-" Arra started, her voice rising angrily but Mr. Crepsley stopped her before the others heard: he quickly kissed her, and I grinned. _I knew he still loved her._

"Please, I just want to find Darren, and tonight is the last night we will have for a while."

"What about tomorrow?" Arra asked, calmer now.

"Kurda's investure is tomorrow. No vampire can leave the mountain." Mr. Crepsley explained, glancing over his shoulder at the others: they were still muttering angrily, arguing amongst each other. I watched as Kurda tried to take control of the situation, but one of his assistants kept making threatening gestures over at Mr. Crepsley and Arra. Streak now had his gaze fully trained on the traitors, and I knew he'd alert me before anything got too out of hand.

"I don't care if I miss his stupid investure," Arra was saying as I turned back to them, "I can still come and look."

Mr. Crepsley smiled warmly but shook his head, "No, you will get into trouble with the Princes."

"It wouldn't be the first time." Arra half laughed and Mr. Crepsley's smile grew wider. I smiled too, though I had no idea what they were talking about: just the sight of Mr. Crepsley happy made me happy. It was nice to know that even though he had lost one of his best friends, and was worried for my safety, there was still someone who could take his mind off of that, if only for a few minutes.

"Still," Mr. Crepsley grew serious again, letting go of Arra's shoulder and taking her hands instead, "it would make me feel better if you were sat beside me during his investure, and not out here alone when there are vampaneze about."

Arra looked like she was about to argue, but Mr. Crepsley gave her a pleading look, and she sighed, "Fine. You win." She grinned, kissed him quickly and then called over to Kurda, "Can we continue looking for Darren now?"

Kurda half turned, regarded her for a moment, and nodded, "We're done here, let's go."

I sat still as the six of them continued up the path, Mr. Crepsley and Arra in front, walking very close together, their hands occasionally brushing, with the traitors further behind, still edgy but carrying their swords at their sides instead. Streak stood up, as if to follow them but I patted his head and he sat back down, leaning against me slightly. But I didn't need any comforting right then: because I was suddenly feeling happier then I had felt for a very long while.

...

**A/N: **That wasn't really 'Happiness', was it? And does that last line sound right to you guys? It sounds weird to me...but whatever. I hope you liked it!


	11. Blood

**Number eleven: **Blood.

**Pairing: **Gavner Purl/Liz Carr.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

"Liz?"

Liz Carr yawned and looked up at her Vampire lover: Gavner Purl had come to visit for a while, staying for a few days before he had to leave for the Vampire Council. At the moment they were stretched out on Liz's living room floor, a warm fire burning, keeping them warm against the winter night. She was lying calmly in Gavner's strong arms, her head resting on his broad chest, listening to his breathing, "Yes?" She moved her head slightly so that she could better see his scarred face.

"I don't want to leave you." His eyes were distant and his voice slightly strained.

Liz sat up, pulling a blanket around her shoulders for more warmth, "What do you mean?" Her voice was calm, the voice she used when talking to patients at the hospital. Gavner also sat up, leaning back against the sofa with a sigh: she noted with a hint of worry that his face wasn't happy, like it usually was.

"It's just..." Gavner started, stopped, and then started again, "I hate leaving you. It wouldn't be so bad if it were only for a few weeks, but I'm away from you for months, years even." He sighed again and looked her straight in the eye, "I know we've already discussed this, and I know where you stand on it..."

"On what? Gavner, please tell me." Liz coaxed, taking his large hands in her own smaller ones.

"It would be easier if you were a Vampire..." Gavner muttered and Liz instantly froze, her hands dropping away from his, "Liz, please I kno-"

"I don't want to be a Vampire." Liz hissed.

Gavner nodded and tried to take her hands back, but she swiped them away before he could get a good hold on them, "I just meant that seeing each other would be easier."

Liz stood up suddenly, "I don't care what you meant! You know I don't want to be a bloody Vampire, why bring it up again?" Her voice shook with emotion: this was a conversation they had had before, and Liz had made it perfectly clear that she never _ever_ wanted to be blooded, "I thought you accepted that." She added sadly, casting her gaze down on Gavner.

"I do accept that, Liz. It's just...I'd get to see you more, and being a Vampire isn't _that_ bad."

She snorted, "Oh really. And you're a shining example of how easy Vampire life is." She waved a hand at his face, indicating at his many scars.

"I'd protect you..." Gavner mumbled, his expression one of hurt.

Liz stared down at him angrily for a minute, but then sighed and crouched down in front of him, "I know you would. But I couldn't..." She shivered, "I couldn't drink blood to survive."

"You get used to it." Gavner defended unhelpfully.

"Gavner, I don't want to get used to it." She took his hands again, "I love you more than anything, and I would _do _anything for you, but this is just...this is asking too much." Their gazes locked, "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

Silence fell over them. The fire crackled in the background, reminding them that though they felt it, they weren't alone in the world. It was Gavner who eventually pulled his hands away from hers and asked quietly, "What happens now?"

Liz shrugged, "I think...I think I need to be alone for a while. Think things over."

"Right." Gavner stood, trying and failing to mask his sadness, "I'll go then." He left her in the living room, stomping upstairs and she could hear him collecting the few belongings he had. Liz went to stand by the front door, determined not to break down in front of him. He emerged at the foot of the stairs a few minutes later, and Liz noticed that his eyes were watery. Snatching his coat off of the hook, Gavner said, "I'll see you around then."

"I love you." Liz blurted out, desperate to let him know that she did love him, that she wasn't sending him away because her love for him had vanished.

"I know." Gavner answered as he opened the door onto the night, "And that's what makes it so painful." He left, shutting the door behind him.

Liz thought about his words for a while before returning to the fire and curling up on the sofa, just waiting for the tears to come.

...

**A/N: **I'm sorry it's so short, and I'm sorry that it had nothing to do with 'Blood', but it's got the word done so I'm okay with it :P Review with your thoughts please! :)


	12. Children

**Number twelve:** Children.

**Pairing: **None.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

"I can't do it!" Darren moaned, flopping down onto the ground and stubbornly folding his arms across his chest, giving the vampiress standing in front of him an annoyed glare.

Arra sighed, "You _can_ do it. You just have to try harder."

"But I'm trying my hardest!" The little half-Vampire shouted, and he looked away. He was exhausted: for four hours straight he had been training in the Hall of Flames. He had been burnt and singed, he had felt fear at the sight of the flames and then frustration when he had failed to move out of the way quick enough. He wanted nothing more than to go back to his room and curl up in his hammock, "I can't do it." He repeated dully, running his fingers across the dusty floor.

Arra watched him for a minute, trying to figure out what to do: forcing him into more practice didn't seem like a very good idea, but he _did_ need all the practice he could get. Some long-forgotten instinct was telling her to be kind to him, to let him have a break. With another sigh, she sat down next to him and watched his fingers tracing patterns in the dust. She had always given off the impression that she disliked children, that she couldn't stand them and had no time for them, but in truth, none of this was true: something about their innocence, their adorable mood swings and odd behaviour, she found all this to be strangely endearing.

Darren looked up, "Can we take a break, please?" He looked slightly worried about asking that, as if it was a forbidden question.

But in reply he got a smile, "Sure."

The little half-Vampire blinked, "Thanks." And he returned Arra's smile, feeling a little better. He closed his eyes and leant back against the rock wall of the cave they were in. The fire still hissed in the metal room opposite, and Darren could picture the flames billowing up, the heat as the fire swallowed him...he shivered and snapped his eyes open, just to make sure he was safe. He glanced to his side, to see if Arra had noticed, and to his embarrassment she had: she was looking at him with a puzzled smile, "Sorry. Just thinking about the...that." He waved a hand at the training room.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The question threw Darren off guard: he hadn't imagined that Arra would ever want to listen to anyone moan about their problems, but he got the feeling that he was wrong. Her grey eyes were concerned, and he suddenly felt that he could talk to her. He nodded slowly, "It's just so difficult." He said slowly, trying not to sound like a small child.

"I know it is." Arra replied, leaning back against the wall as Darren was, "But that's why you have to practice so much. So that it won't be so difficult."

"Yeah. But if the training is this hard, then I don't even want to think about what the actual trial is going to be like."

Arra grinned in reply, "Then don't think that far ahead."

Darren gave her a look, "That's terrible advice."

They both laughed, "It worked for me." Arra defended weakly, but then grew serious, "I won't lie to you - it's going to hurt, a lot. The flames will be bigger and will come faster; there will be more of them. You won't come out unscathed."

Darren nodded, nervously glancing towards the room full of still sizzling fire, "It's not so much the pain I'm worried about. It's...it's the thought of burning to death..."

"You aren't going to die." The conviction in her voice was so strong that Darren actually believed her for a minute: but then he heard the sizzling fire again and doubt flooded his mind, "But it's impossible." He muttered.

"Of course it isn't!" Arra laughed, "How can it be if I've done it?" Darren let a small smile slip onto his face, but it quickly vanished, "Darren." She put a hand on his shoulder, "You aren't going to die. I won't let you, okay. And neither will Vanez or Gavner...plus." She grinned, "If you didn't make it, Larten would kill me."

Darren laughed at that, "I don't think he would."

"You sure? I'm in charge of you for this trial: if you _do_ fail, it will be my fault." Darren thought about that for a while: so many people were going out of their way to help him, Gavner, Mr. Crepsley, Vanez, Kurda, Arra, Seba... They were all taking responsibility for him. He couldn't let them down.

And he wouldn't.

He suddenly jumped up, "Well, we better get back to practicing then!" He grinned when Arra gave him a confused look, "Moaning isn't going to get me anywhere. I need practice...I'm not going to let anybody down." He added quietly, but he knew Arra had heard him by the way she smiled, "Come _on_!" Darren hopped up and down on the spot, gesturing at the training room, "I'm ready for the fire!"

Arra laughed, "You're a stubborn little cub-Vampire, aren't you?" She stood and followed him to the training room, "You must get it off Larten." Darren faced her with a disgusted look on his face and they both burst into laughter. Before they entered again, Darren turned and gave her a quick hug, surprising both himself and Arra, "Thank you for not giving up on me." He whispered in her ear, and then let go with a grin, "Let's go!"

...

**A/N: **I was going to get all philosophical at the end, but decided against it :P Reviews would be super-duper!


	13. Life

**Number thirteen: **Life.

**Pairing: **None.

**A/N: **Nothing much to say about this, except that it's pre-book.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

"Van Helsing!" Steve shouted happily, pointing roughly at his book, "Now he was a great vampire hunter."

Darren looked up from his own book – squinting in the dim light of Steve's bedroom – and gave him a quick grin before turning his head back down to the book. Steve watched his friend for a moment before stretching and sighing, "I would _love_ to be a vampire hunter."

"I thought you wanted to be a vampire?" Darren asked uncertainly, knowing how heated Steve could make these little conversations, "You know, with the fangs and killing people."

"Well," Steve started, grinning over at Darren, "I did want to. But I think vampire hunters are cooler." He looked back down at the book resting in his lap, "Don't you think that too?"

Darren hesitated, "I guess."

Steve smirked, "Oh yeah, I forgot. You want a _boring_ life."

"Not boring!" Darren defended, "Just..."

"What you want," Steve started, standing up and looking down at Darren with a strange glint in his eyes, "Is a safe life: where you go to collage, and university, and get married to a boring wife and have boring children." Steve snorted in disgust, as if the very idea of a normal life made him sick.

Darren stared at the floor, "What's wrong with that?" He asked quietly.

"Where's the fun?" Steve exclaimed, crouching down in front of Darren, "Where's the excitement?" When Darren just shrugged in reply, Steve sighed but continued, "Why don't you want to do something exciting with your life? Like, wrestle crocodiles, or...climb Kilimanjaro, or get into a dangerous situation and only escape by the skin of your teeth!" Steve's eyes were alight with excitement, with adventure, with danger.

"That all sounds great," Darren coughed uncomfortably under Steve's stare, "But it's not for me. I mean, c'mon. I've never been one for adventure or anything."

Steve grunted and stood again, glaring out of the crack in the curtains, scrunching up his eyes against the bright ray of sun that filtered through. Darren stayed still on the floor, watching Steve for any signs of movement, and after five minutes – with still no movement from Steve – Darren finally got bored: he picked up a nearby cushion and flung it at Steve's head.

The cushion connected, Steve let out a startled shout and turned on Darren, a dangerous glare in his eyes. Darren raised his hands in peace and grinned, "If you want to be a vampire hunter, you should get some practice." Steve gave him a confused look, so Darren elaborated, "Dude, a _cushion_ freaked you out!" Darren laughed, and finally Steve smiled too, his dangerous side slinking back into the shadows, resigned but knowing that later in the young boy's life it would get a chance to shine.

...

**A/N:** Ending...I have nightmares about endings, by the way. They scare me *shivers* But, hey, reviews would help me overcome that fear :P


	14. Rain

**Number fourteen: **Rain.

**Pairing: **None.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

Rain lashed down, pounding against the buildings and the road, against the cars and the trees, against the Vampaneze and his victim.

Murlough held the woman up off of the ground by her neck, his mouth latched onto a large wound on her throat. She had stopped screaming and struggling only moments ago, and Murlough missed that: he liked it when they put up a fight. The few drops of blood that managed to escape from his mouth were washed away instantly by the cold rain, wiping the alleyway – the crime-scene – clean of any evidence. Not that Murlough cared if he left behind any evidence. He was too crazed to care anymore. Too lost in his own insanity.

The woman suddenly let out a whispery gasp, and fell limp against her murderer. Murlough pulled back with a snarl: he had drained her too quickly. There was nothing left. Not one single drop of sweet, sweet blood.

Yet he wanted more.

_Needed _more.

He let the woman fall onto the ground, her limp, lifeless body flopping down into a crumpled heap. Murlough regarded his work with a mix of disdain and pleasure. He hated that there was no more blood left, but was happy that he had least gotten _some_ of the addictive liquid.

On his way out of the alleyway, Murlough kicked the woman hard in the head, for no reason whatsoever. No more blood spilled. It was just for fun.

The Vampaneze walked calmly through the rain, soaked to the skin. The rain felt cold against his purple skin, and in the back of his mind he regretted leaving his shirt flung on the floor next to the dead woman. Too late to turn back now though: across the street he had just spotted his next victim – another young woman, as scantly dressed as the last, as gullible as the last.

Murlough crossed the road and advanced on the woman, who seemed just as eager to meet him. From under her umbrella, she shouted, "You lookin' for a good time?" Murlough caught her wink suggestively and he grinned wickedly.

Without saying anything, he pushed her roughly against a wall, and it was only as his mouth locked onto hers and his hands travelled over her did she notice that he had purple skin. And crimson hair. And as he pulled away from her slightly and looked her in the eye, she screamed. Murlough's red eyes flashed with delight, and he dragged her down another alleyway to claim another victim and to partially quench his never-ending thirst.

The rain still lashed down.


	15. Secrets

**Number fifteen: **Secrets.

**Pairing: **None.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

There was a slight breeze in the air as Annie Shan pushed open the rusty gate of the graveyard and slowly walked inside. The sun was high and bright in the sky, making everything glow softly, the small meadow flowers that bloomed around the graveyard, the old oak trees that sat like guardians in the corners, and the mossy headstones.

It had been a year since Darren's death, but Annie still visited his grave every week, to keep him updated on her life and the life of his friends and family. No one knew she did this, this secret frequent visit, and she liked it that way.

As Annie neared Darren's grave – set in the corner of the graveyard, close to one of the guardian oaks – she felt the familiar feeling of loss, and had to stop briefly to catch her breath: the sight of his grave always made her gasp sharply, to lose her breath momentarily, and she always had to stop, to regain control of herself before continuing on.

A few meadow flowers had grown close to his grave, and Annie stopped to pick some before sitting cross-legged in front of the smooth headstone. She laid the delicate flowers at the base of the stone and gently traced her fingers over the engraving of her brother's name, "Hey, Darren." She whispered, looking around herself to make sure no one was nearby.

Annie sat in silence for a while; head bowed, hands clasped neatly in her lap, before she looked back up at the headstone and grinned, "I got an A in my English assessment." She paused before continuing, "We had to write about a classic horror novel, and I decided to do _Dracula_, because I know you would have loved it..." Annie sighed, "The teacher loved it, said I understood the story very well, and I said that was because you told me all about it before you died..."

Birds sang in the trees, insects buzzed busily through the plants, the graveyard – ironically – was full of life. But Annie couldn't shake the feeling of being alone. Completely alone.

She loved and cherished these secret visits.

But they always caused more pain than she could have ever imagined. The visits to the graveyard only reconfirmed the fact that her beloved brother was dead and she would never get him back.

Not in her lifetime.


	16. Paradise

**Number sixteen: **Paradise.

**Pairing: **None.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

Kurda was seething with anger, only barely able to restrain his emotions.

He accepted the fact that they had to kill him – he _had_ betrayed the clan after all – but for them to cut up his body afterwards, rendering unable to get to Paradise. That was too far, too unfair.

All in all, he had lived a very good life: never killing unless absolutely necessary, never fighting, striving for peace between the two clans... He had hoped all of this would be taken into account, but the Princes had overlooked all of it. Dismissed it all with a wave of the hand.

Yes, he was a traitor, but he was only one for the good of everybody else – they just couldn't see it. He risked it all so the two clans could live in peace, could live with no more fighting or wars, with no more hatred. This, he thought, warranted a place in Paradise. At the very end he had sinned, yes, but throughout the rest of his life he had been good – better than good. Almost a saint among the unholy creatures of the night.

Nobody saw it that way.

They all believed he deserved to suffer, all believed he should be punished, that the only thing he had to look forward to after death was an eternity of endless roaming through the tunnels of his place of betrayal. So he never forgot, so he would know that nobody would ever forgive him, that they'd always hate him.

Some wanted a harsher punishment – the Lake of Souls. To float in near pitch dark for all of time. Kurda smirked slightly as he was pushed roughly into the Hall of Death, the anger fading from him slowly. Some thought he was evil, but he wasn't even close to it. Only the true evil ended up in the Lake of Souls. And he would avoid it.

Kurda's eyes took in the sight of an angry Vampire clan and he suddenly realised he was being strapped into the cage that would soon be dropped onto the stakes in the pit below. He glanced down, saw the sharp, glittering points of the many stakes, and grinned, the last of the anger washing away, being replaced by a insane joy.

Paradise eluded him.

But he was content in the knowledge that the shouting crowd of Vampires below him would soon destroy themselves in a pointless, ridiculous war. The cage jolting up above the pit brought him back to reality, and he cast his eyes around the Hall. Past the crowd of Vampires were a group of faint figures. Figures that he knew had been killed brutally. Figures with a purple aura to them.

Kurda smiled – at least he wouldn't be alone as he wandered the mountain for eternity.

...

**A/N: **Did I just take rambling to a whole new extreme? Did I just take writing short chapters to a whole new extreme?


	17. Metal

**Number seventeen: **Metal.

**Pairing: **Arrow/His wife.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

The large metal sword fell from Arrow's hand and clanged down on the floor, landing partially in a pool of blood, causing droplets of the crimson liquid to fly into the air and splatter back to the ground again after a few seconds. Arrow lurched forward, his body and mind going numb as he fell on his knees next to the body that lay in the middle of the room. The identity of the body was almost impossible to tell because of the vast amount of blood it was covered in, but Arrow knew who it was.

With a shaking hand, the Vampire Prince reached out and touched the body's left hand, his fingers grazing against the silver wedding band: his wife's silver wedding band.

Arrow threw back his head with an anguished howl and pounded his fists down on the ground, again, more blood splattering up and splashing back down on the ground and on him. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again, a pained sob escaping from him as he took in the bloodied face of his wife.

_If only I had been quicker_, he thought sadly, casting his mind back to the Vampaneze he had gone after and, upon catching them, taken his sweet time with killing. He hadn't realised one had stayed behind, hadn't even thought about the fact that his beloved wife could have been in danger. Why should she have been? He _was_ the strongest and most feared of the Vampire Princes. Killing some young Vampaneze had been fun, easy for him. He had just forgotten to scout out the area, to make sure that all the Vampaneze had scattered. Thinking before acting had never been one of his strong points.

Tears streamed down his face as he cradled his wife's body in his strong arms, his salty tears falling onto her motionless face, making the blood watery and run down her cheeks.

As Arrow sat and cried, his thoughts returned once again to the Vampaneze, and he suddenly felt a whole new hatred for them flare up in his chest.

It was their fault he would never see his beautiful wife smile again.

It was their fault he was feeling such emptiness and such pain.

It was their fault his wife breathed no more.

And he would make them pay.

Arrow laid his wife back down on the ground again and leant down and kissed her forehead gently. Happy memories of their time together flashed through his mind and he let a small smile fight its way onto his lips.

And then he was standing, reaching down and scraping his sword up off of the ground, the sharpened point screeching across the ground harshly. The sound made Arrow grin sickly.

The Vampaneze would pay. He would make sure of that.

All he had to do was find them.

And then he would extract his revenge.

By making them suffer just as much as he was.

By killing every last one of them.


	18. Dancing

**Number eighteen: **Dancing.

**Pairing: **Arra Sails/Larten Crepsley.

**A/N: **Yep, I just had to go with this couple for this word. It just _fits_.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

The sun was setting slowly behind the forest of dense pine trees, and a soft winter snow was falling gracefully from the orange-tinted clouds. The ground was already covered in a layer of brilliant snow, and it crunched under the footfalls of my companions: Gavner was twirling Arra round and round, and they were both laughing happily. I was sat on a snow dusted rock slightly away from them, watching with a smile on my face. The music from the Festival drifted down to our clearing, giving the scene an almost magical quality.

We had managed to slip away from the main party, and were simply enjoying each others company, something we had not been able to do for a long while. The three of us had only just finished our Trials of Initiation a week or so ago, and during that week we had been recovering and resting, much too injured and exhausted to spend time together. So it was nice to get away from the clan and just have fun. At first, Arra had attempted to teach Gavner how to dance, but that had proved impossible – Gavner wasn't the most graceful of Vampires, and they both still carried injuries from the Trials: Gavner a broken wrist and various cuts of varying sizes, Arra a fractured ankle and bruised ribs.

Somehow, I had managed to come out of the Trials with the least amount of injuries: my only remaining ones were a few cuts, and even they were healing quickly.

We were a strange sight: formally dressed for the Festival, but covered in bandages. Not that we cared at all.

"Oh, come on!"

I looked up just as Arra sat next to me and Gavner threw his hands in the air.

"You're impossible!" Arra called back, grinning lopsidedly at him. Gavner laughed, shook his head, and joined us on the rock. We were silent for a while, watching the snow falling and listening to the music, until Gavner asked, "When should we head back?"

"At dawn." I suggested, unwilling to go back to the confines of the mountain.

"Ari won't last that long." Gavner teased, poking Arra's shoulder. She swatted a hand at him, and then resumed huddling up against me, pulling Gavner's coat (which she had stolen from him as soon as we had hit the outside) tighter around her, "You'll freeze before dawn."

Arra frowned up at him and both me and Gavner laughed, "You're just sore about being awful at dancing." She finally smirked, hoping off the rock before Gavner could shove her.

"I'm not awful." Gavner moaned with a smile.

She grinned at him, and then faced me, her grin turning playful, "Dance please."

I smiled, "I cannot."

"Lies!" Gavner shouted.

"You _can_ dance. I know you can." Arra held out a hand to me, "_Please_."

I sighed and shook my head with a smile, but took her outstretched hand and allowed her to pull me up. The music had turned into a slow, gentle tune, so I pulled her close and we danced slowly. I could see Gavner watching us with a happy smile on his face and I smiled back, deciding that I'd be quite happy if tonight never ended.

...

**A/N: **Eh. Don't really like it, but hey! One more word down! Another three to go! ^_^


	19. Serious

**Number nineteen: **Serious.

**Pairing: **Arra Sails/Larten Crepsley.

**Start Lyrics: **Amazed – Lonestar.

**End Lyrics: **Forever and For Always – Shania Twain.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

_'I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by me side, forever and ever...'_

"Can we talk?"

Worry washed over me, but I managed to hide it by smiling. My hands slipped from Arra's back to her hands, "Of course." She smiled and led me over to the bed and we sat on the edge, side-by-side, staring at the floor in silence.

"It's just," Arra began with a sigh, breaking the long and somewhat tense silence, "we've been together for a while now...and I really-"

"Wait." I broke in, feeling more worry wash over me, "Please, _please_, just, I know that we have been going for a while, but I have really enjoyed our time together, and I feel that it can only get better – I _know_ it will – and I have been taking it slow because I thought you wanted to-"

There was something of an amused smile playing on Arra's lips, "Larten-" She started but I cut her off again.

"Please, you make me so happy, and...and I have never felt this way about anyone before. I was planning on asking you to be my mate, but I was just so nervous about it, and I didn't want to ruin anything between us..." I trailed off and looked down at the floor, and then back up at Arra, who looked sort of mystified, "Please don't leave me..." I finished lamely, turning away.

Arra smiled and laughed slightly, "Larten, I was just going to say that I really liked you, and that I really wanted this to go somewhere." I turned back to look at her and she took my hand, "I'm glad that you've said all that though." She grinned, "I thought I was the only one who had those worries."

I stared at her for a while, not quite comprehending what was going on. Arra watched me carefully, her thumb tapping against mine nervously, "Say something?" She asked quietly.

"I...you really like me?" I asked and she laughed.

"Of course I do!" My favourite lopsided grin appeared on her lips, "I..." Her grin softened and she shook her head, "I think I love you."

A very wide, stupid grin spread onto my face with hearing those words. In a flash, I had pushed her back onto the bed and was leaning over her, "I think I love you too." I smiled and she grinned, her fingers running along the collar of my shirt, "I never want to leave you." I continued, feeling everything secret feeling I had felt about her spill over into words, "You are the most important person in my life. I care about you more than anything else."

"I feel the same way." Arra smiled and I kissed her forehead.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you." That was it: I had just admitted the most important thing there was to admit. But I didn't feel nervous about saying it. I looked down at her with a smile, and she grinned back up at me.

"That sounds perfect."

_'And there ain't no way, I'm lettin' you go now, and there ain't no way, and there ain't no how, I'll never see that day...'_

...

**A/N: **Did you like it? Oh, even if you didn't, please give the songs a listen. They're so good!


	20. Closer

**Number twenty: **Closer.

**Pairing: **Arra Sails/Larten Crepsley.

**A/N: **With the exception of the bonus word (which should hopefully be up soon), this chapter signals the end of my entry for the contest! I've officially finished it: thanks to all of you who stuck with it, reviewed or just read it. So, here's _Closer_. Enjoy! :D

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

The room I awoke to was very dark, only a small candle flickered in the corner, and rather empty: only the coffin I was lying in, and a table and chairs next to the coffin. My head was pounding and my vision was slightly blurred. I didn't understand where I was or why I was there. I sighed and reached a hand up to rub my eyes, only to feel that my head was wrapped in a bandage. I groaned, and that's when I realised I wasn't alone in the room: sitting at the table were two people.

I groaned again as I tried to sit up and the people came over to me, and even with my blurred vision I knew who they were: Larten and Arra.

"Do not try to move." Larten said from my left, placing a hand on my shoulder and firmly pushing me back down into the coffin.

"What, what happened?" I asked weakly, rubbing my eyes again to try to clear the haziness.

"You don't remember?" Arra asked from Larten's side.

I shook my head and winced at the pain it caused. I couldn't remember anything. Which, I realised with a start, probably meant that whatever had happened was serious. The sound of chairs being scraped across the floor reached me, "You were attacked." Larten stated simply as he and his mate sat down next to me.

"Attacked?" I asked, worry and confusion taking over me. I coughed, "By who?"

"Not 'who'," Arra answered, "'What'. Gav, you were attacked by a bear."

"What were you doing outside during the day anyway?" Larten asked, sounding something like the big brother I had always seen him as.

"I don't..." I started but trailed off as everything came flooding back to me. I sighed, "I had just gone out for a walk. And I was heading back as the sun started to rise. I wasn't really concentrating on where I was going – I was thinking too much – and I wandered into one of the lower tunnels and then..." I trailed off again, squeezing my eyes shut against the image of the bear as it rose up out of the shadows and lunged towards me.

I felt a hand squeeze my own and opened my eyes: Arra was holding my hand, resting her chin on the edge of the coffin with a small smile on her lips. Larten was also half-smiling at me, one arm resting over the edge of the coffin, the other wrapped around Arra's shoulders.

"Typical Gavner." Larten laughed.

"Only you would be too distracted to notice a bloody huge bear coming at you." Arra grinned.

I frowned up at them for a minute, and then smiled: they were trying to make me feel better by joking around, something I always did. I opened my mouth to say something joking back, but then another thought crossed my mind and the frown slid back into place, "Isn't tonight your ten year anniversary?"

They both smiled and Larten nodded, "Yes," He tightened his arm around Arra's shoulders, "It is."

"I ruined it." I stated, beginning to feel annoyed with myself.

"You didn't." Arra grinned again and squeezed my hand reassuringly, "You're more important anyway."

"Apparently, we would drop anything for you." Larten added, a fake-frown plastered on his face.

I smiled up at them, truly touched by their concern and dedication to me. I felt like I should say something, but I was too choked up with emotion to do so. So I settled simply with, "Thanks guys."


	21. Bonus Word: Family

**Number twenty-one: **Family.

**Pairing: **None.

**A/N: **Bonus chapter! I'm sad it's over: it's been a challenge at all times, but at the same time fun! I hope you like this: I've had it written since chapter seven! Inspiration came from Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, TN.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

...

"Kurda, it's the middle of the frickin' day." Arra complained, "Whatever it is better be good."

Kurda turned to look over his shoulder, his stride not faltering, and gave her a grin, "It's good. Believe me."

"Why do we have to go all the way out here?" Gavner asked, sniffing loudly.

"Because," Kurda answered, rolling his eyes, "Out here is where it is."

"We should not have left the mountain during the day." Larten added.

Kurda sighed but didn't answer. The four half-vampires continued on their way, trekking through the snow and trees. Vampire Mountain was quickly fading out of sight and Kurda's three companions were becoming more and more edgy. "It won't be much further." Kurda kept promising them, but after the third time he had said this they stopped believing him.

It was midday when they finally reached the river. "It's just up here. If you listen carefully, you might be able to hear it." Kurda told his companions as they rested.

The three half-vampires sat still and listened carefully for any out-of-the-ordinary sounds. Kurda stood looking down at them with a grin on his face. "It sounds like a waterfall." Arra eventually replied, tilting her head curiously.

Kurda nodded, "That's right."

"You are taking us to see the waterfall?" Larten asked, "We have all seen the waterfall, Kurda."

Again, Kurda nodded, "True. But have you seen it in the day-light?"

As they travelled up the river, emotions started to become mixed: Larten seemed more annoyed than anything, Gavner and Arra curious as to what could be so different about the waterfall in the day-light. "You'll soon see." Kurda told them with a smile. The roar of the waterfall became louder and louder the more up-river they went and after a while spray started to drift down towards them over the rocks.

"It's just over that ridge." Kurda stated, and Gavner and Arra instantly sprang ahead, eager to see. Larten trudged behind with Kurda, though hurried his pace when sounds of awe reached him.

Kurda smiled and laughed slightly as he reached his friends on the top of the ridge: they all had looks of wonderment on their faces. Again, Kurda laughed and then turned his eyes towards the waterfall.

The sound was deafening, but the sight completely worth it. The waterfall was majestic in itself: very tall and very wide, with water cascading down gracefully to fall onto the rocks and into the lake below. But the sunlight made it into something completely different. Light filtered through the falling water, causing rainbows to form. It almost looked like the waterfall wasn't water, but one huge rainbow falling out of the mountain side.

Gavner whistled in appreciation, "Totally worth it, mate." He laughed, clapping Kurda on the back.

"It is stunning." Larten muttered, and Arra agreed with him, waving her hand through the misty spray to try to catch the rainbows.

Kurda smiled at them and resisted saying, "I told you so." Instead, he sat down with his friends and decided that they weren't just his friends: they were his family.

And he was perfectly happy with that.

...

**A/N:** Mushy, mushy ending, I know. Hehe, but I thought it was sweet. Review with your thoughts!


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